I couldn't agree more with the letter from Andy Steer regarding BT and its extortionate payment charge of £4.50 on bills which are not paid by direct debit (Letters, May 11).

What is this country coming to when we are not allowed to pay for commodities in the way we wish.

Instead we are bullied into having to do things we do not want to do?

I loathe direct debit and prefer to pay all my accounts by cheque as and when they come in and I strongly object to being told what I am to do.

Surely it cannot be more expensive for BT to send me a bill every three months by first class post and to keep a customer happy. At the moment I am an extremely irate one who is now considering what some of the cable companies have to offer - anything to stop BT adding such enormous sums to my account without my permission.

  • Sheila Kent, West Drive, Brighton